The present invention relates generally to sporting equipment and more specifically to the sport of golf.
Golf clubs have for many years been characterized as having hosel, heel, toe, face and flange portions. The hosel is generally a receptacle for receiving the club shaft and a support for generally supporting the club head on the end of the shaft. While one end of the hosel receives the club shaft, the other is integrally formed with the club head.
The club face is generally inclined at an angle depending on the required loft of the shot, and the sole is a generally continuous surface on which the club rests prior to swinging the golf club.
Over the years, improvements in club design have focused on broadening the flange, the purpose of which was to lower the center of gravity of the club head which in turn would add more loft to a golf shot. It was believed that the broadened flange would also allow the golfer to add more loft to his or her shots since more weight would be passing under the ball at impact.
Some golf club manufacturers provide permanent weights in club heads to customize the club with respect to an individual's golf swing. In some instances, these permanent weights are provided in the heel and toe portions of the club in an attempt to minimize the torque effect created by impacts at points other than the "sweet spot". The "sweet spot" is defined as the point in a body free to move about a fixed axis, at which the body may be squarely struck without jarring the axis.
Problems persist in the art. An individual's golf swing may vary slightly or dramatically from week to week. While variances may occur, the golfer is limited to the permanent weighting of his or her clubs which were selected based on his or her swing at a given point in time. Moreover, a set of clubs customized for one golfer will not be suitable for another. The strength of a golfer may have profound effects on his or her swing. As strength changes, weighting of the club should also change.